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Tuesday 8 Mar 2005

PHOTOCALL: NO MESSIN’ ON THE RAILWAY

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Date:               Friday 11 March 2005             Time:              7:30pm Location:        Slade Youth Group at the Methodist Church on Rochdale Road, Walsden, Todmorden Journalists and photographers are invited to attend the launch of the new No Messin’ campaign with Network Rail-sponsored Slade Youth Group and the British Wrestling Association (BWA). Gary Openshaw, General Manager (Preston) said: “We are extremely proud to be working in partnership with the British Wrestling Association and are confident they will help us to reinforce the message of the dangers of playing on or near the railway.” Details of local sporting events and competitions aimed at educating children and young people about on railway safety, along with exciting chances to win an i-pod, will soon be available on www.no-messin.com. Wrestlers from the BWA, who have been sponsored by Network Rail, will be attending to give a wrestling demonstration and lesson to the young people to mark the start of No Messin’. These are two of the new initiatives that Network Rail has set up in an attempt to further reduce railway crime committed by young people by giving them alternatives to playing on the railway.  Every year hundreds of children are injured and killed playing on the railway. For those who survive, many are left with horrific burns or scars after they are electrocuted and some lose limbs after being hit by trains. Vandalism on the railway, which is mainly committed by children and young people, costs the rail industry £264 million each year. Thousands of objects are placed on the track in front of trains each year. Some of these objects are placed there by children ‘just to see what happens’ but research has shown they often move on to using larger objects such as gas canisters, concrete blocks, scaffolding, rubbish bins and even stolen vehicles. The ’No Messin’ campaign will complement the educational work already being carried out in schools and youth groups by Network Rail External Liaison Officers and the Football in the Community scheme, where the company works closely with football clubs in areas that are hotspots for railway crime, with top coaches spelling out the serious consequences of playing on the railways. Network Rail became involved with Slade Youth Group after an increase in child trespass on the tracks in the area. The group also play football right next to the tracks and Network Rail has combined visits and presentations on the importance of railway safety, with sponsoring the team’s football strips, footballs, goalposts and nets.